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Contact Profilometers

nCATS Facility has two contact-based profilometers.  The first is laboratory-based system: Taylor-Hobson Talysurf 120L and the second is a portable system Surtronic S100.

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nCATS Facility has two contact-based profilometers.  The first is laboratory-based system: Taylor-Hobson intra touch and the second is a portable system Surtronic S100.  The portable system offers the ability to measure surfaces not accessible to the laboratory system, such as very large objects or fixed emplacements, this has been used on rail lines.

Both systems employ a contacting stylus with a hard tip that runs over the measurement surface, the deflection of the stylus is recorded and the roughness and form can be assessed.

The Intra Touch employs a 50 mm traverse unit (maximum scan length) and a inductive transducer.  Typically we employ at stylus with a range of 1 mm (maximum height range), that has diamond conisphere tip with radius of 2 microns.

In terms of metrological measurements this will perform a single 2D profile, fairly quickly (typical in about a minute or two). Being a contact system it will measure any surface from transparent and translucent glass and plastics to most engineering surfaces.  With the limited gauge range we have to be a little careful with large form variations, also the diamond tip can be damaged/removed by very rough surface or deep pockets.

Taylor Hobson Intra Touch
Taylor Hobson Intra Touch

Intra Touch Specifications:

System Performance
Straightness (over 50 mm) 0.2 µm
Straightness (over 20 mm) 0.15 µm
Gauge type High precision Wide range
Stylus range 1 mm 2 mm 20 mm
Radius accuracy (10 - 25 mm) 0.04%
Radius accuracy (25 - 100 mm) 0.08% 0.04 - 0.1%
System noise (Rq) 8 nm 50 nm
Slope accuracy 0.5 arc minutes 2 arc minutes
Horizontal Performance
Traverse length - X Min / Max 0.1 mm to 50 mm
Traverse speed 10 mm/s max
Measuring speeds 0.25 mm/s, 0.5 mm/s, 1 mm/s, & 2 mm/s
Data sampling interval in X 0.5 µm
Vertical Performance High precision Wide range
Nominal Z (Range 1) 1 mm 2 mm 20 mm
Resolution (Range 1) 4 nm 8 nm 75 nm
Nominal Z (Range 2) 0.2 mm 0.4 mm 4 mm
Resolution (Range 2) 0.8 nm 1.6 nm 15 nm
Roughness stylus max. force 1 mN 3.5 mN
Range to resolution ratio 262,144 : 1

The Surtronic S100 portable Surface Finish Meter offers a versatile solution for your roughness measurement requirements. Features include a large ruggedized display, long-life batteries and simple menu structure. The Surtronic can be used either freestanding (on horizontal, vertical or even inverted surfaces) or bench mounted with fixturing for batch surface roughness measurement and laboratory applications.

The 50mm stylus lift with right angle attachment and over 70mm stylus reach ensure that even the most challenging surface can be measured without the need for expensive fixturing. Anti-slip V-feet allow the Surtronic to be used on flat or curved surfaces.

The Surtronic S100 is extremely durable, featuring impact resistant rubberised mouldings surrounding a recessed, high durability touchscreen.

Surtronic S100 measuring leaf films on rail tracks
Surtronic S100 portable profilometer

Technical Data

S128 model S116 model
Gauge range: 400µm 200µm
Resolution: 50nm 100nm
Noise Floor (Ra): 150 nm 250nm
Repeatability (Ra): 0.5% of value + noise 1% of value + noise
Traverse Length: 0.25-25mm 0.25-12.5mm

Useful Downloads

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Below is a list of the most commonly used surface finish parameters, note R can be also be S in 3D roughness.

Parameter Meaning
Ra Arithmetic Mean Deviation
Rq Root mean square
Rv Maximum depth of profile below the mean line within the sampling length
Rp Maximum depth of profile above the mean line within the sampling length
Rt Total height of profile
Rsk Skewness
Rku Kurtosis
Rz Average peak to valley height
Rsm Mean width of profile elements
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